Skipper's

Skipper's is the local place to go when you crave shrimp, fish or other seafood at affordable prices. Check out Skipper's menu for all the choices of fresh seafood.

Menu includes full seafood platters and sandwiches. Dinner for two runs around $22.00. A full sampler platter is available if you want to try everything. Lunch specials also available at lower prices. Tuesday is steamer day with steamed shrimp, oysters, clams and crab legs available at the steamer bar.

Hours are from 11:00 to 8:30 every day. Call ahead at 919-303-2400 for pickup orders.

Village Deli

The Village Deli and Grill in Raleigh's Cameron Village shopping center (and other locations) is worth a drive to Raleigh to dine in a college crowd atmosphere with a broad selection of cold and hot sandwiches. The rustic atmosphere includes pine wood paneled walls, little checkered table cloth tables indoors and outdoors. A great dining experience comes also with a view of the long popular shopping center near the NC State Campus and a long time popular part of Raleigh.

Food choices (menu) include salads, soups, seafood, a variety of sandwiches, burgers and chicken, paninis and specialty sandwiches and selections for vegetarians. Everything is hand made to order and fresh from the kitchen. Our favorites are the Reuben on Rye sandwich and the Village Classic sub. Typical cost to dine for two is around $22-24. The restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

For a great local outing follow these directions and take a quick trip to Raleigh and into Cameron Village for a deli style meal and an adventure into one of the great shopping centers near the NC State campus.

Peak City Grill & Bar, Apex, NC

The Peak City Grill and Bar is located at 126 N. Salem Street, Apex, NC, in Historic Downtown Apex. Just next door to Fire Station One. Parking is provided by the owner between the restaurant and fire station. Don't park in this lot to go to other restaurants and shops or risk a glare and comment from the owner. Contact the restaurant for reservations or availability at 919-303-8001.

If you are looking for a high-end steak style restaurant in the immediate area this is it. Offers a variety of sandwiches and full course meals and a full service bar. The site was a local downtown hardware store in the early 1900s and was renovated by the current owner to open the restaurant.

The menu covers a broad choice of food and varies somewhat to reflect the current season. Expect a selection of steaks, fish, seafood full course dinners and sandwiches of all types. Enjoy the bar with friends or go for the full dining experience. Prices reflect the diverse foods offered and dining for two will generally run in the $50-60 range or higher with drinks.

The food is very good and service generally what you would expect in a similar restaurant. Be prepared for occasional blasting of train horns since the site is only a hundred feet from the tracks. Surrounded by shops and businesses in the historic downtown district dating back to the 1870s era when Apex was a train centric rural community.

Houndstooth Cafe

Houndstooth Cafe is likely the very best restaurant in central Virginia. Worth the drive to Hanover, VA, it is the perfect way to end a day of horseback riding, shopping or most anything else you might do in this scenic part of Virginia.

The restaurant is located in an old renovated gas station building in the heart of Hanover, the seat of Hanover County. Only a few miles from Richmond and Ashland.

Go early to avoid the regular crowd and the one hour wait, and be prepared to savor some of the best food around. While you wait, sit on the front porch sipping your favorite brew and watching the country drivers cruse by.

Menu choices range from traditional pulled pork or beef barbecue to a variety of Chesapeake Bay seafood items brought in fresh daily. Top off your dinner with a slice of one of several home-made specialty cheesecakes or truffle desserts made by the owner that very day. Dinner will run around $40-50 for two.

The owner and the cook have operated the restaurant for many years, and as you might expect, are well known for great food and hospitality. Every item on the menu has been time tested and is always at its best.

You can visit the restaurant many times and try new items each trip. Try them all - sauteed seafood, fried shrimp, soft shell crabs (in season), fish, oysters, fresh pulled pork BBQ, beef BBQ and a variety of sandwiches.

The General Store Cafe'

Sadly the General Store went out of business recently but the store is now open by a new owner and similar format. The new site will be reviewed here when we have time to visit it.


The General Store Cafe' - a local dining experience to remember!

In our travels around the triangle area we recently ventured over to Pittsboro, NC, to try the expanded General Store cafe'. The short trip was rewarded with great food, excellent service and a chance to look around at local art in a restaurant located in one of the town's preserved historical structures - an old Chevrolet auto dealership building.

The General Store Cafe' is located at 39 West Street, adjacent to the downtown round-a-bout in the center of town. Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, the store is open six days a week and can be reached by telephone at 919 542-2432.

Our first dining experience at The General Store allowed us to try the shrimp and grits (a local favorite) and grilled chicken over rice, both served with fresh grilled seasonal vegetables. Both were excellent and portions were more than adequate for hungry customers! Dining for two with these choices and cold beer and wine totaled to $47.00 - not bad for great food and the experience of looking around at the art and craft displays.

The restaurant began operation in 1979 as a natural foods grocery a few blocks from its present location. As it evolved into a natural foods grocery and consignment shop it was relocated in 1981 to a space in the Blair Hotel Building at the downtown traffic circle. The store evolved again to include a kitchen and dining room and in 1994 was moved to its present location in the old Chevrolet dealership building. In 1999 the original owner retired and the store evolved again under new management and the natural foods and consignment shop offerings were phased out, allowing the store to focus on becoming a fine dining establishment. In 2002 the establishment was purchased by a small group that currently owns and operates it. The restaurant continues to grow and now serves as a community center featuring local artists, musicians and non-profit organizations. A variety of community activities are held in the restaurant.

The restaurants large space is divided into two main areas - the "front" (the original auto showroom), and the "back" (the large rear space that previously served as an auto repair and service area). While the front offers mostly small tables for breakfast and lunch, the rear (a recent expansion of the restaurant) has a large number of two and four person tables, a few 5-6 person round tables for medium sized groups and space to pull tables together for large groups and parties. The rear section also includes a stage for performances by local bands and musical groups. Thursday through Saturday after 8:00 PM you can dine and enjoy local folk and other styles of music.

The entire restaurant displays regional art, crafts and various items that make the experience visually exciting and the items are available for purchase.

As we were leaving on Thursday night, the musical entertainment was about to begin and the crowd was growing. As the small local trio prepared to play, we thought it would top off a great evening to stay and enjoy the music but decided to save that for another night. We will definitely return soon for that and more great dining.

The Melting Pot

The Melting Pot is a truly unique dining experience. Upon arrival you will be greeted by the hostess and taken to your private table for two or a larger table if you are having a party. Your waiter/waitress arrives quickly with a cheerful greeting and describes the various choices for dining. Selections range from a simple cheese fondue and dessert to full four course dinners with a variety of meats and seafood along with fruits and breads, followed by a special fondue dessert. Vegetarian selections are also offered.

In their own words "Fondue is a fun and interactive dining experience - and for more than three decades, The Melting Pot has defined the niche across the American dining scene."


A typical four course "fondue feast" meal would include your choice of fondue cooking mixes, beverages including wine, mixed drinks and/or other beverages, a selection of fruits and breads followed by a tray of meats or veggies followed by fondue dessert. A typical loaded selection would include all of the following:

Filet Mignon Medallion
Balsamic-Marinated Sirloin
Garlic and Herb Chicken
Citrus Pork Tenderloin
White Shrimp
Wild Mushroom Ravioli
Roasted Red Pepper Rigatoni
Fresh Vegetables

At The Melting Pot, fondue truly becomes a memorable four-course dining experience where patrons can dip into something different - and discover all the ingredients for a unique dining experience including a relaxed atmosphere, private tables, attentive service, fine wines and signature fondue dinners.

Plan on spending from $30 to $100 for two depending on how hungry you are. Make reservations in advance time since the restaurant is always crowded!

The Hungry Farmer - Clinton, North Carolina

For some of the best seafood and country cooking around take a short drive to Clinton, NC, and check out The Hungry Farmer. Fresh shrimp, oysters, scallops and additional seafood selections are always available along with steaks and chicken.

This has long been a favorite meeting spot in the Clinton area. Don't be surprised if a local farmer walks over and strikes up a conversation while you are dining. Newly renovated due to a fire in 2006, the small secluded country restaurant is located between the corn and tobacco fields at 2474 Isaac Weeks Road. Look for a red brick building that looks like a country house by the side of the road. Be sure to take along your NC map!

Some of the favorites are:

Baby shrimp, hush puppies, 2 sides - $7.50, 9.00
Sea scallops, hush puppies, 2 sides - $9.00, 11.00
Pan broiled flounder, hush puppies, 2 sides - $9.00, 11.00
Hamburger steak with peppers and onions, 2 sides - $6.50
Home made chicken pastry, 2 sides (Sunday only)

Location:

2474 Isaac Weeks Road, Clinton, NC

Hours:

Thursday - Saturday 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Sunday Lunch - 11:20 AM - 2:30 PM

Telephone:

910 533-3220

Head on over and satisfy your appetite!

Ruth's Chris - Cary NC

What a treat! We bought ourselves a Ruth's Chris gift certificate some time back and kept it for a special occasion. On our recent anniversary we decided to check the restaurant out.

We highly recommend this restaurant for any occasion. The food is outstanding and service is right on target for a fine dining establishment!

Here's how their website describes their fare...

Welcome to Ruth's Chris Steak House. When you visit Ruth's Chris, you soon understand that this is no ordinary restaurant. From the U.S. Prime steaks, broiled to perfection at 1800 degrees, to the expertly executed seafood, New Orleans-inspired appetizers, unforgettable desserts and award winning wine list, this is a steakhouse to which others aspire. We invite you to explore our website. Take your time to get to know us. Visit the site often to make online reservations and order Ruth's Chris Gift Cards for family and friends, clients and colleagues. Follow the sizzle.

We were greeted at the door and our coats were immediately taken to the coat room. Next, we were escorted by the hostess to a small dining area with a half dozen tables and seated. Since this was our first visit we didn't notice one of the napkins rolled around the silverware was black. We later discovered this was a signal to the waiter.

For dinner my wife chose a fillet and I selected a ribeye steak. As you can imagine, the steaks were cooked to perfection and lived up to the reputation of the restaurant. Ruth's Chris food is truly a step above similar offerings at other fine establishments.

After dinner we ordered coffee and asked for the dessert menu and waited patiently for the waiter to return. The coffee arrived quickly and we were looking forward to seeing the list of desserts we had seen occasionally passing our table on a sample tray. Minutes later we realized he had not returned and started looking around for him. Suddenly he arrived with a healthy slice-for-two of dark chocolate cake covered with dark chocolate icing and sprinkled with little chocolate drop morsels. Wow! To our surprise this treat was provided by the restaurant for our anniversary dessert!

Needless to say, dining at Ruth's Chris was a grand experience and we now look forward to planning another visit on a special occasion to have dinner prepared to perfection and enjoy royal treatment!